1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an air conditioner apparatus that dehumidifies by controlling current to a heater provided in an internal unit in a range in which the room temperature is lower than its set value.
2. Description of the Related Art
In most modern air conditioners, usually the range of fluctuation of the difference between the room temperature and the set temperature value is divided into a plurality of zones. Thus, the compressor used for refrigerant circulation is driven at a frequency corresponding to the respective zone. In this case, usually the compressor is stopped in the zone in which the room temperature is lower than the set value. However, compressor improvements have expanded the low end of the range of speeds in which the compressor operation is possible. Recently, air conditioners have appeared in which the compressor is operated at low speed even in the zone in which the room temperature is lower than the set value.
There are also air conditioners in which a heater is provided in the internal unit of the air conditioner. Thus, comfort is increased by controlling current to this heater in the initial period of the heating operation mode, or in the zone in which room temperature is lower than the set value in the drying operation mode.
For example, this type of air conditioner is found in Japanese Utility Model Disclosure (Kokai) No. 54-125152. In this conventional air conditioner, the room temperature is controlled by an ON/OFF operation of an electric heater in the drying operation mode. Furthermore, the compressor operating frequency in the zone in which the room temperature is lower than the set value is determined by the occupant of the room.
In this connection, in the case of a typical domestic air conditioner intended for a room with a floor area of about 10 square meters (.apprxeq.110 ft.sup.2), assuming that the occupant of the room is alone, the compressor operating frequency is selected to be 12 Hz. In this case, even if the room is occupied by three people, the compressor continues to operate with the same frequency so long as the room temperature does not exceed the set value, so that even if the humidity is felt to be high, it is not possible to alter the dehumidifying capacity.